Two campuses within the University of Wisconsin System announced Tuesday they are offering employees a voluntary retirement buyout with a one-time payout equal to 50% of an employee's annual base salary.

The buyouts at UW-Oshkosh and UW-Green Bay offer the same payout, but the eligibility requirements are different. At UW-Green Bay, the offer is being extended to all employees 55 and older who have at least five years of service. At UW-Oshkosh, employees must be at least 60 and have 25 years of service to the state to be eligible.

Tuesday's announcements bring to four the total number of campuses seeking to reduce their workforce through voluntary buyouts in the face of state budget cuts. UW-Eau Claire was the first campus to make the offer, followed last week by UW-Superior.(315)

News and Opinion Blogs

The fiscal cliff and Latinos

There's lots of talk on the "fiscal cliff", so Wednesday the National Council of La Raza held a telephonic briefing for its affiliates around the country and the press on how the tax and budget debate will affect Latinos.

When Latinos went to the polls last month and overwhelmingly voted for President Barack Obama the issue uppermost in their minds was the economy, said Janet Murguia, the president and CEO of the NCLR based in Washington, D. C.

During the recession Latinos have been hit hard by unemployment and the foreclosure crisis, she said. Plus, the Latino population is young and growing and it will be a bigger and bigger segment of the work force and future taxpayers, she said.

"Our community favors a balanced approach and this is no time to raise taxes on working and middle class families," she said.

U. S. Rep Xavier Becerra, a Californa Democrat, said he calls Latinos the "aspiring class" because Latinos are younger than the average American, less affluent, heavily first time home buyers and often the first to attend or graduate college.

"We have the hope, passion and energy that makes the country tick," he said.

But the "aspiring class" has been hit hard by he recession. Unemployment for Latinos is 10% compared to 7% for others. In 2008, the foreclosure rate for Latinos was close to 12% compared to 5% for others, he said.

"The stakes are truly high for the future of our community," he said.

There needs to be a concentration on jobs, health care education, and Social Security needs to be protected, he said.

Julie Rodriguez, an associate director of Latino affairs and immigration for the White House Office of Public Engagement, said the president is committed to protecting middle class families.

If taxes do go up, she said a two-parent Latino family of four that earns about $43,000 a year, could see their federal income taxes rise by $2,200. And 99% of Latino families make less thatn $250,000 a year, she said.

The tax increase would mean "critical dollars that make an impact on the every day lives of Latinos," she said.

There wasn't much said about what entitlement reforms might be made, except for the president's focus on bringing down national health care expenditures.

About Georgia Pabst

Georgia Pabst is a general assignment reporter whose areas of coverage include Milwaukee County government, the Latino community, non-profits and neighborhoods.